Electrical connecter



July 17, 1934. w. E.- ECCLES 1,967,006

ELECTRICAL CONNECTER Filed June 16, 1930 IN VEN TOR.

TORNEY Patented July 17, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRICAL CONNECTEB Application June 16, 1930, Serial No. 461,690

Claims. (01. 247-) This invention relates to devices usually referred to as cable connecters, which are used to couple non-metallic cable, loom, conduit and the like to electric outlet boxes and the like.

' 15 An object of this invention is to provide a cable connecter which is more universal in its application than those heretofore proposed; one which is readily expansible for circular conduit, cable, or loom, and is readily contractible for, and con- ;10 formable to, elliptical non-metallic cable; and

yet, will firmly grip any of the above.

An important feature of the present invention is the provision of means whereby the connecter is expansible and contractible over a wider range .15 of adjustment than prior devices; to efficiently 20 sion of means which clamps with cable or loom substantially central with the connecter neck which extends through the outlet box.

Other objects and advantages will appear hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawing- Figure 1 shows a fragment of an outlet box in section, with the connecter comprising this invention held in place thereon by a spring clip.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the connecter looking toward the end which normally projects from the outlet box, with the clamping parts in position to hold elliptical non-metallic cable, which is shown in section.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the position of the parts when holding circular non-,

. obviate this difliculty by providing bushings or metallic cable.

Fig. 4 illustrates the mounting of the movable jaws on the main body of the connecter.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but shows '40 the connecter held in the outlet box by a lock nut, the connecter being shown holding a metallic armored cable to the box.

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the spring clip, used to hold the cable connecter in the outlet box.

In the embodiment of the invention disclosed herein, the connecter comprises a body having a tubular portion or neck 10 made of such size asto pass through a knock-out hole in an outlet box 11 and having a flange 12 which limits the movement of the connecter into the outlet box. I The connecter may be fastened to the outlet box in any suitable manner so far as some of the aspects of this invention are concerned, and two forms of securing means are shown. In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the

connecter is secured in the outlet box by a spring clip 13 which is substantially U-shaped so that the legs 14 may be slid over the neck 10 of the connecter through slots 15 on diametrically opposite sides of the neck to hold the connecter to the outlet box.

The slots 15 may be formed in any suitable manner as by being cast in the connecter or being broached by machine. The legs may be provided with bowed intermediate portions 16 which draw the connecter inwardly while the ends of the clip engage the margin of the knock-out hole, thereby holding the connector with the flange 12 firmly against the outer surface of the box.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 5, the neck 10 is provided with screw-threads 17 to receive a lock nut 18, the tightening of which draws the flange 12 against the outer surface of the box in the usual manner. Any other suitable form of means may be employed for holding the connecter of the present invention in the box.

In cable connecters heretofore proposed, the means for securing the cable to the connecter usually comprised a single plate movable either bodily or pivotally and constituting one jaw of a clamp, the other of which was formed integrally with the main body of the connecter, and the range of movement of the movable clamp and the semi-cylindrical surface thereof was such that the connecter of necessity had to be especially designed to be used either with armored cable, or with circular non-metallic cable, or with elliptical non-metallic cable. Thus there was required several different kinds of connecters for the various kinds of cables. Heretofore it was proposed to adapters to be used with connecters to adapt them to various kinds of cables.

However, according to the present invention, instead of the single substantially semi-cylindrical movable jaw used heretofore, the connecter is provided with two opposed relatively fiat jaws 19 which may be brought extremely close together so as to leave little space between them, or which may be moved far apart so as to engage a cable which snugly fits through the tubular neck 10. These jaws 19 each has a cable-receiving arcuat-e portion 20 with the arc of each constituting approximately one-quarter of a circle, although, if desired, the inner surfaces of the jaws may be defined by flat surfaces angularly disposed with relation to each other, provided, however, that the angle between the surfaces on one of the jaws is such that the jaws may be brought very close together.

By having the jaws 19 formed as above described so as to be relatively flat, especially in comparison with the single movable jaw found in the prior art, the jaws may be brought together as shown in Fig. 2 to engage elliptical loom or non-metallic cable 21 firmly and securely. Again, when the jaws are fully expanded, they will firmly engage and grip a larger and cylindrical non-metallic cable 22, as shown in Fig. 3, or armored cable 23 as shown in Fig. 5.

These jaws 19 may be mounted on the body of the connecter in any suitable way so that they may be brought together to engage the cable. It is, however, at present considered preferable to have the jaws arranged as illustrated in the accompanying drawing so as to be pivotally movable on the body and so as to have one screw by means of which the jaws may be tightened around the cable.

To so pivotally mount the jaws 19, the body of the connecter is provided with an arm 24 extending outwardly from the flange 12 and at right angles thereto. This arm 24 may have any suitable hinge connection to the jaws 19, but for economy in manufacture, it is preferable that the arm have a slot 25 into which tongues 26 on the jaws 19 may extend. The tongues 26 have substantially one-half the width of the slot and lie therein side by side and are bent in a reverse direction so as to prevent them from accidentally slipping out of the slot 25 in the arm 24.

The free ends of the jaws have straight portions 27, one of which is screw-threaded and the other of which is perforated, to receive a tightening screw 28 as shown in Fig. 2. When the screw 28 is tightened, the jaws are drawn together by reason of the engagement of the head 29 of the screw with one jaw while the screw is threaded into the other jaw.

The jaws 19 may be so hinged on the body portion of the connecter that no additional means would have to be employed to prevent the jaws from moving laterally, i. e. longitudinally of the neck 10, but this would require a more expensive form of hinge than that shown herein. For

economys sake, it is preferable to use the form of hinge shown and to provide other means to hold the jaws against the lateral movement above referred to.

This means, in the form of the invention shown herein, comprises an arm or fin 30 disposed radially of the neck and extending outwardly at right angles to the flange l2 and neck 10, and integral therewith, although, of course, it may be made of a separate piece secured thereto in any suitable way, if desired. The arm 30 is provided with a slot 31 through which the screw 28 extends and against the walls of which the screw engages.

When the jaws 19 are clamped around the cable, for instance as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, a longitudinal pull on the cable will cause the screw 28 to bear against the Wall of the slot 31 in the arm 30 on the one side, and the tongues 26 on the jaws to engage each other and press against the end wall of the slot 25 on the other side, so that the strain is absorbed by the arms 24 and 30, and not by the ends of the cable.

The opening 32 through the neck 10 is made large enough to take the largest size cylindrical cable with which the connecter is intended to be used. Hence, when a smaller cable or an elliptical cable is used, unless other means are provided, the jaws would not close this opening 32, with the result that plaster, dirt and other matter by these skirts .33.

The connecter is so made that the nonmetallic armored cable 21 and 22 may pass clear through the connecter so as to extend into the outlet box. However, when the connecter is used with armored cable, the latter does not extend beyond the neck 10 of the connecter, and as shown in Fig. 5, the neck may :be provided with cut-outs or notches 34 so that a fibre sleeve 35, which is at the present time used with armored cable, may be viewed.

It should be particularly noted that the arcuate portions 20 of the jaws 19 are preferably so formed that when brought close together, as in Fig. 2, they substantially fit and embrace the major arcs of the elliptical cable 21, and yet when spread, as shown in Fig. 2 to accommodate a circular cable, they embrace more than threequarters of the periphery of the cable. Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of this invention and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and for which it is desired to obtain Letters Patent, is:

1. A cable connecter having a tubular neck adapted to be secured in a hole in an outlet box or the like, a pair of jaws pivotally mounted on the neck, and means for drawing said jaws to--" gethcr to cause the latter to engage and grip a cable passing through said tubular neck and into said outlet box or the like.

2. A cable connecter having a tubular neck adapted to be secured in a hole in an outlet box' or the like, a pair of jaws pivotally mounted on the neck, and a draught member for drawing the jaws together to cause the jaws to engage and grip a cable passing through said tubular neck and into said outlet box or the like.

3. A cable connecter having a tubular neck adapted to be secured in a hole in an outlet box or the like, a pair of jaws pivotally secured to the neck, a draught member for drawing the jaws together to cause the jaws to engage and grip a cable passing through said tubular neck and into said outlet box or the like, and means for holding the jaws against movement longitudinally or the neck.

4. A cable connecter having a tubular neck adapted to be secured in a hole in an outlet box or the like, and a pair of jaws pivotally secured to the neck and adapted to engage and grip a cable passing through said tubular neck and into said outlet box or the like, said jaws being sub stantially flat and having cable-engaging surfaces curved to fit the major arcs of elliptical nonmetallic cable when the jaws are brought close together and to engage substantially more than one-half the periphery of a circular cable when the jaws are moved apart, and adapted to clamp the cable substantially central of the tubular neck.

5. A cable connecter having a tubular neck adapted to be secured in a hole in an outlet box or thelike, and a pair of jaws pivotally secured to the neck and adapted'to engage and grip a cable passing through said tubular neck and into said outlet box or the like, said jaws being substantially fiat and having cable-engaging surfaces curved to fit the major arcs of elliptical non-metallic cable when the jaws are brought close together and to engage substantially more than one-half the periphery of a circular cable when the jaws are moved apart, said jaws being located adjacent the end of the tubular neck and having skirts for substantially closing the space between the cable and the bore of the tubular neck.

6. A cable connecter having a tubular neck adapted to be secured in a hole in an outlet box or the like and having a pair of jaws pivotally connected on the neck, expansible to fit circular cable and engage substantially more than onehalf of the periphery of said cable and contractible to fit elliptical cable and engage substantially more than one-half the periphery thereof.

'7. A cable connecter having a tubular neck adapted to be secured in a hole in an outlet box or the like, an arm extending at right angles from the neck and a pair of jaws pivotally mounted on said arm and adapted to engage and grip a cable passing through said tubular neck and into said outlet box or the like.

8. A cable connecter having a tubular neck adapted to be secured in a hole in an outlet box or the like, an arm extending at right angles from the neck, a pair of jaws pivotally mounted on said arm, and a screw engaging the free ends of the jaws for drawing the latter together to cause them to engage and grip a cable passing through said tubular neck and into said outlet box or the like.

9. A cable connecter having a tubular neck adapted to be secured in a hole in an outlet box or the like, an arm extending at right angles from said neck, a pair of jaws pivotally mounted on said arm, a screw engaging the free ends of said jaws for drawing the latter together to cause them to engage and grip a cable passing through said tubular neck and into said outlet box or the like, and another arm extending from said neck radially thereof between the screw-engaged ends of the jaws and having a slot through which the screw passes for holding the jaws against movement longitudinally of the neck.

10. A cable connecter having a tubular neck adapted to be secured in a hole in an outlet box or the like, an arm extending at right angles from said neck and having an elongated slot parallel with the arm, and a pair of jaws having tongues fitting side-by-side in said slot and fulcrumed on the walls thereof, said jaws being adapted to engage and grip a cable passing through said tubular neck and into said outlet box or the like.

11. A cable connecter having a body adapted to be secured in a hole in an outlet box or the like, and having a pair of opposed jaws removably and pivotally mounted thereon and adapted to engage and grip a cable passing through said body and into said outlet box or the like.

12. A cable connecter having a body adapted to be secured in a hole in an outlet box or the like and having a pair of opposed jaws pivotally mounted on the body by a tongue and slot connection.

13. A cable end fitting having a body having a hole into which a cable extends; an arm extending from the body; a pair of jaws pivotally mounted on said arm; and means for positively 100 drawing said jaws together to cause the latter to engage and grip the cable passing between them and extending into said hole.

14. A cable end fitting having a body having a hole into which a cable extends; an arm extending from said body and having an elongated slot; a pair of jaws having prongs fitting side by side in said slot, and fulcrumed on the walls thereof; means for positively drawing said jaws together to cause the latter to engage and grip a cable g passing between them and extending into said hole.

15. A cable end fitting having a body having a hole into which a cable extends; a pair of jaws pivotally mounted on the body; and. means for 115 positively drawing said jaws together to cause the latter to engage and grip a cable passing between them and extending into said hole.

WILLIAM E. ECCLES. 

